"I'd like to think that even if the characteristics of the track are similar, we should be a bit more competitive.

"We're expecting a better result than Austria, we're not expecting it to be as difficult."

Ricciardo knows, however, Vettel and fellow German Nico Rosberg - who currently leads the championship - will be hungry for a result in front of a home crowd still buzzing from their country's World Cup title win in Brazil.

"I hope I can turn things around and that we can have a good race on Sunday," said last year's German GP winner Vettel, whose home town is only 30 minutes from the track.

"Of course we are not the favourites going into the weekend, but there's always a chance of winning."